Jerusalem’s Deep-seated Corruption

3 Woe to the rebellious and unclean city of oppression,

2 She has not obeyed the voice,

she has not accepted instruction,

In the Lord she has not trusted,

to her God she has not drawn near.

3 Her rulers in her midst are roaring lions.

Her judges are evening wolves,

who leave nothing over until the morning,

4 Her prophets are braggarts, faithless men.

Her priests profane what is holy

and do violence to the law.

5 The Lord is righteous in her midst,

he does no wrong,

Morning by morning

he establishes his decree,

Light is not lacking,

an oversight is unknown.

But the unjust know no shame.

6 ‘I have cut off nations,

their turrets are destroyed;

I have laid waste their broad streets,

so that none passes over them.

Desolate are their cities without people,

without inhabitants.’

7 I said:

‘Surely the city will fear me,

she will accept instruction.

Nothing will vanish from her eyes

that I have impressed upon her;

But the more zealously have they made all their deeds corrupt.’